"old time" fiddle tune cds

[OregonMike]

I'm looking to immerse myself in recordings of old time fiddle tunes for the next month and not too long ago there was a discussion here about how to tell if you were immune to fiddle tunes or not by listening to certain recordings.

After 30 minutes of searching I can't find the thread or the posts in particular but am looking for any recommendations so that I can buy some and add some to my Christmas list.

Thanks!

[evanreilly]

Roger Howell (http://www.ivycreek.com/rogerhowell.html) is a great source of old-time/traditional tunes, on fiddle and banjo.

[tstackho]

Try "The Legacy of Tommy Jarrell" and anything by Clark
Kessinger.

[Mike Thomas]

take a look at the Bing Brothers, Dave Bing, Lynnn "chirps" Smith, Volo Bogtrotters, Gary Harrison, Highwoods string band, and the Indian Creek Delta Boys. #Have Fun!
Mike T

Gibson 1917 A3
Gibson 1915 H2
Collings MT2

[John Flynn]

Mike: One great fiddle tune anthology from your neck of the woods is the Portland Collection, which features Clyde Curley on mandolin, in addition to George Penk on fiddle and Susan Songer on piano. They also have tune books available. You can also get Clyde Curley's mandolin CD off the Portland site. IMHO, that is one of the best old time mando CDs ever.
http://www.theportlandcollection.com/

[sgarrity]

That is a great resource. Talk about a lot of tunes to learn!

[OregonMike]

Awesome - I bought the Portland collection back in 1997 when it came out but had no idea that there were CD's now to go along with it!

This will allow me to turn my car into a rolling Contra Dance on the way to work.

Yes, living in Portland we are quite spoiled (saw Foghorn String Band two nights in a row last week) it is pretty much String Band Disneyland.

Thanks!

[lgc]

Earl Johnson, John Specker, Gid Tanner. Especially Earl Johnson. He's the real deal.

[dasspunk]

Some great artists mentioned here... I'll add a few more:

<a href="http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=1435&prev_id=121&next_id=4720
" target="_blank">JP & Annadeene Fraley</a>
<a href="http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=1507&prev_id=2787&next_id=1506
" target="_blank">Hartford's The Speed Of The Old Long Bow</a>
<a href="http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=2216&prev_id=4432&next_id=
" target="_blank">Rhys Jones</a>
<a href="http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=167&prev_id=4685&next_id=3905
" target="_blank">Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown</a>
<a href="http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?PID=1002733&style=music&frm=frooglemusic
" target="_blank">Bob Carlin & John Hartford</a>

[acousticphd]

Awesome - I bought the Portland collection back in 1997 when it came out but had no idea that there were CD's now to go along with it!


Ditto that; I had no idea about these CDs though I have copies of the tune books for reference. #One thing to maybe mention is that the contra-centric tunebooks like these tend to contain a lot of New England and Quebec tunes more known in the Northeast and among the Northeast dance music community, and maybe less known (or unknown) in Appalachian fiddle music. # Likewise if you listen to a selection of "contradance band music", there tends to be less Appalachian tunes. #It just depends on your preference and what it is you think of and identify with "old time". #These are just my observations based on a few years experience in learning and playing music in a contra band - it's great, but a minority of it is the Appalachian old time music I like to play the most. #But I'm learning that certain styles and arrangements seem to suit the dances.

A couple more personal old-time fiddle CDs:
All I've got's done gone (Rhys Jones et al)
Ways of the World (Rayna Gellert)
Starch and Iron (Rayna Gellert & Susie Goering)
Anything by Bruce Molsky

[hoffmannia2k7]

I'll second John Specker. Wow.

[John Flynn]

If you like the Portland Collection, I have another one for you, but I hesitated to mention it, because I don't know how to tell you to get it. If anyone knows, please post. Lynn "Chirps" Smith has a set of CDs entitled "Home Recordings," Volumes 1 through 5. They are self-produced, but most of the tracks sound very clean. Some of them were recorded at contra dances, so you can hear the dancers and the caller on them in the background. The non-contra dance tunes are played medium speed and he provides tuning notes at the beginning of each track. He also plays a vintage F-4 mandolin on some of the tracks and it sounds great, a real treat.

Each CD has about 25+ tunes on it and taken together it is the best anthology of midwestern fiddle tunes I have heard and one of the best to learn from. Chirps of course, is one of the best fiddlers in the midwest and a heckuva nice guy. I bought the set from him at a recent workshop, but I have not seen them advertised for sale online, so I guess a person would have to track him down on email and order from him directly.

[lgc]

I will note that most suggestions have been new old time albums and that is curious to me. Why not cut out the middle people and go to the source. Juneberry78s.com has the best deals on cds. it's like 800 tunes for $50.

[OregonMike]

Why not cut out the middle people and go to the source.
Thanks! My Christmas list is getting better and better - this is such an excellent tune list:

Juneberry Tracks (http://www.juneberry78s.com/mp3coop/Juneberry%20DVD%2015000A.htm)

Keep it coming,

[Fred Keller]

Also check out the Field Recorders' Collective (http://fieldrecorder.com/) for some awesome old time music.

[hoffmannia2k7]

John Hartford's old-time cds are especially easy to play along with

[resophonic]

Check out Banjo Billy Mathews. A great Old Time fiddle and banjo player that has spent his life collecting Old Time tunes.

http://www.banjobilly.net/

[David M.]

I've posted this before as have others and it's a great resource. #do searches for names like John Salyers, Hiram Stamper, Doc Roberts, Snake Chapman, Art Stamper, Lewis Lamb, etc. #LOTS of great material.

Digital Library of Appalachia (http://www.aca-dla.org/)

This is the real stuff, though. not polished any...

[dasspunk]

If anyone knows, please post. Lynn "Chirps" Smith has a set of CDs entitled "Home Recordings," Volumes 1 through 5...
I too have this set... and Chirps is, in fact, the man! If you'd like to order a copy of these CDs, you can email Chirps at chirpsdot@aol.com . He'll email you an order form and send 'em out.

[Fred Keller]

Chirps is definitely a hoss. Here's another of his projects:

Dear Old Illinois (http://www.dearoldillinois.com/)

[John Flynn]

I'll do a second on Banjo Billy. He is one of my favorite fiddlers of all time to listen to. He plays in the "back bow" style where he emphasizes the up strokes more than the down strokes. It is very "wild" sounding, unique and really exciting. He is also a real character in person and phenomenal guy to jam with or learn from.

[Gary S]

For Vintage Fiddle music a few suggestions would be Ed Haley,Doc Roberts, Skillet Lickers,Roan County Ramblers, East Texas Seranaders.County put out 2 lps Oldtime Fiddle Classics 1 and 2 (highly reccomended).
For recent vintage I would suggest anything with Tommy Jarrel,Fred Cockerham or Kyle Creed on it, including my favorite old time band "The Camp Creek Boys".
For revival oldtime fiddle music it has never gotten any better than the "Highwoods String Band" IMHO.
For recent oldtime sound on the mandolin,I enjoy listening to the Buckhanon brothers,Skip Gorman and Compton and Long.

[Alex Fields]

Tommy Jarrell for sure, and for a more modern old time sound (if that's even intelligible), Bruce Molsky, who's one of my favorite musicians on any instrument. Plus all the other stuff people mentioned. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John Flynn]

For recent oldtime sound on the mandolin,I enjoy listening to the Buckhanon brothers,Skip Gorman and Compton and Long.
Agreed. I would add Clyde Curley to that list also. Clyde Curley and the Oxymoron's "Old Time Mandolin Music" CD is one of my faves.

[JeffD]

When I play old time I try to get the phrasing of fiddler Tommy Jarrell. I just love his playing. Glad to see other fans.

[JeffD]

One thing to maybe mention is that the contra-centric tunebooks like these tend to contain a lot of New England and Quebec tunes more known in the Northeast and among the Northeast dance music community, and maybe less known (or unknown) in Appalachian fiddle music. # Likewise if you listen to a selection of "contradance band music", there tends to be less Appalachian tunes. #It just depends on your preference and what it is you think of and identify with "old time".
This is the difference between what I have heard called Northern old time, and Southern old time.


The Portland books are really a great resource. The blue one is always on my stand, and I am working through the green one.


In that same vein, has anyone seen The Fiddler's Throne? I am just getting into it.

http://www.randymillerprints.com/FiddlersThronebk.htm

Randy Miller put it together, he of New England Fiddler's Repertoire fame.

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/38-7.htm

Great stuff all.